Investments are super important for everyone. We all need something that will act as an umbrella during our rainy days and a lot of us consider an umbrella made out of precious metal to be better than anything else. However, when it comes to investing in precious metals, a question always arises in mind – which investment is better gold or silver?
If you have thought about this question, you are not the only one. It is often a common dilemma that a lot of people face and you will be surprised to know how often they end up making the wrong decision. Silver in recent years have seen a rise in price and is a result is also becoming a popular investment option. However, investments differ from person to person, what may be a good investment for one may not be that good for the other. However, to help you understand what kind of investment is better – gold or silver – we have compiled a few points you can consider before making a decision.
- Market Value of the Metal
When investing in metal, it is important to consider how its market value changes. The market value of silver is much more volatile than gold, meaning when the market trends change the value of silver rises and drops faster than gold. It means that the value of gold may remain the same for a longer period of time. Silver, on the other hand, experiences a more rapid change in its value. Investing in silver means that one needs to the patient and not sell it on the first instance of the value drop.
- Affordability
Silver is obviously much more affordable in Gold. What does that mean for your investment though? It means that while you can buy more silver than gold for the same amount of money, the returns on both metals also differ greatly. The returns on a small amount of gold are much more than the return on larger amounts of silver. If you are looking for an investment that is for a longer-term than gold is your best option. However, if you tend to invest for shorter terms, silver is a great investment and can also be used as a cheaper gifting option.
- Storage
While investing in metals, one thing that often worries the investor is the storage. You buy these precious metals for so much money, how do you store and preserve them? Silver has a higher density hence it takes more storage space than gold. Also, gold is easier to preserve, it does not tarnish, however, that is not the case with silver which tends to tarnish over time. The storage costs are definitely something you should consider while deciding about your investment.
- Demand in Economy
Silver is often used in various industries, its demand for practical purposes is much higher than gold. Gold’s purposes for practical uses are often limited and its demand is not as high as silver. Does that mean silver is a better option? In a booming economy, definitely yes. However, if the economy is in a state of recession or is deflating, then the use of silver may drop resulting in a drop in its price. When an economy is weak, the better option to go is for gold since whether an economy is booming or deflating, the price of gold tends to always stay on the higher side and there is not much loss. In a weak economy, silver may not be the best option to go for.
These are a few things one must consider while deciding which precious metal to invest in. A lot depends on what kind of investor you are. If you are someone who goes in for the long haul, gold is definitely a more profitable investment for you and if you are the one who likes quick returns then silver with its volatility may prove to be just as good as gold for you. In the end which investment is better gold or silver totally depends on you and how you want your investments to be handled.
